Taekwondo, waste of time?

[Kung Fu Wang]

But all these years later, my wrestling has served me better than Taekwondo ever has.

When you get older, single leg balance and flexibility can be more important than anything else. At the age of 80, if you can still do this 6 kicks combo:

- roundhouse kick (or inside crescent kick),
- spin hook kick (or outside crescent kick),
- front toes kick,
- front heel kick,
- side kick,
- back kick,

your body will be in excellent shape.

IMO, for maintaining health, kicking can help you more than punching and throwing. You can get better health result from 200 kicks than from 1000 punches.

 

[Earl Weiss]

When you get older, single leg balance and flexibility can be more important than anything else. At the age of 80, if you can still do this 6 kicks combo:

It will be a few years before I can report back on that.

 

[Earl Weiss]

What is the actual Korean word used for this honorific we call "Master," and what is its literal translation? Shades of meaning often change when put into a different language. Does it really just mean "adept, skilled teacher, one who understands," or some other kind of thing?

I can only address the Chang Hon System. A Quick review of the 1965 and 1972 Texts did not reveal the Korean except for Degrees 1-3 = Assistant Instructor which we learned as Boo Sa Bum, 4-6 Instructor - Sa Bum, and 7-9 Master. With he last part of the Syllabus learned at 6th degree. Later texts designated Master as Sa Hyun 7 & 8 and 9- Grandmaster as Sa Seong. These do not translate directly and it would take me while to find that. Yes, you are correct. Agreeing on the meaning is important. Being adept and skilled at some discipline would fit this context although I would add "Knowledgeable"

 

[Earl Weiss]

Was this honorific used prior to the mass export of TKD to the West and if so, did the designated English meaning (as determined by the TKD establishment) change afterwards to help market the art here by implying their rank-and-file instructors were on a higher level than those of other styles?

An interesting question and first we would have to determine which mass export timeline. The first was in the early 1960's and at that time aside from the founder there were no 7th Degree Master Instructors so it was not an issue. That would not have occurred until the late 1960's / early 1970's so it was not much of an issue.
The second wave would have been post 1973-4 Creation of the KKW / WT, so that would be something for a KKW / WT person to address. I can't pin it down but IIRC that at some point KKW lowered the rank for application of the "Master" title.